Conservation

Birding by Ear

There's a lot to look forward to in spring for birders.

The flowers are blooming, old friends are returning,  and birdsong is at its peak. The sheer volume of songs and calls can often feel overwhelming for birders, but these sounds offer an opportunity and a challenge. With our birding-by-ear series you can learn how to better ID birds through their vocalizations. 

Pt. 1: Start Listening for Songs and Calls
Pt. 2: Learn the Most Common Kinds of Sounds
Pt. 3: Connect Noises With Pictures That Stick
Pt. 4: Grow Familiar With Neighborhood Voices
Pt. 5: “Read” Sounds on Spectrograms
Pt. 6: Know If It's a Mimic or the Real Deal
Pt. 7: Learn Different Regional Accents
Pt. 8: Eavesdrop on Nature's Orchestra
A Few of Our Favorite Sounds
Adopt a Bird
American Bittern
Herons, Egrets, Bitterns
! Priority Bird
Varied Thrush
Thrushes
Red-tailed Hawk
Hawks and Eagles
Pied-billed Grebe
Grebes

More Birding Advice

How to Go Birding by Tree
July 29, 2016 — A New York City naturalist shares his unique approach of matching trees to certain bird species.
News
Birdist Rule #29: Buy a Scope...Or Don't
July 27, 2016 — You don’t need a massive lens to find birds, but it sure makes things more fun.
The Birdist’s Rules of Birding
Two Guys Just Broke the North American Big Year Record—But How?
July 26, 2016 — It turns out, seabirds and extreme birding go really well together.
News
Extremely Rare (and Lost) Bird Seen Vacationing Near the Coast of Maine
July 26, 2016 — An endangered species finds itself thousands of miles off course—and ends up landing in the history books.
News